Henry Doorly Zoo
1974
The new diet kitchen and educational classrooms were completed.
1973
Owen Swan Valley and the Primate Research Building were completed.
1972
The Ak-sar-ben waterfall was constructed. In August, the 1916 public swimming pool that had been buried in 1944, and rediscovered in 1970, was reconstructed and became the Owen Sea Lion Pavilion complete with a new concession building, public restrooms and a gazebo.
1968
With help from Union Pacific, 2 1/2 miles of track was laid through the Zoo. Omaha's Zoo Railroad made its inaugural run in July. Eppley Pachyderm Hill was opened in November on the old baseball diamond site.
1965
The Omaha Zoological Society was reorganized to plan, construct, operate and maintain the Zoo for the city as a non-profit organization. The first phase of the Zoo was dedicated to Henry Doorly. The bear grottos, gorilla, orangutan buildings and Ak-sar-ben Nature Kingdom were part of this phase.
1963
Margaret Hitchcock Doorly donated $750,000 to the Zoo with the stipulation that the Zoo be named after her late husband, Henry Doorly, chairman of the World Publishing Company.
1900-1952
New exhibits and other improvements were made to support the growing number of animals in the park. In 1952, the Omaha Zoological Society was organized to improve the Zoo and to provide administrative help to the City.
1930's
New cat and bear exhibits were built by WPA.
1920's
New cat cages were donated by Gould Dietz.
1898
The park had an animal population that included deer, grizzly bear, two bison on loan from Colonel William F. Cody and 120 other animals.
1894
Riverview Park was founded by the City of Omaha.
The following elements of the Society's mission were established on May 13, 1986.
1. Promote and encourage recreational activities for the public in the context of wild animals and their habitats.
2. Promote, establish and maintain educational activities and programs to enhance the knowledge of the general public and the Zoological staff in all areas relating to the natural world.
3. Promote conservation of rare and endangered species of plants, animals and their natural ecological systems.
4. Promote and undertake research programs related to the goals of zoos.
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